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JFAC Approves $1.27 Million in DOPL Enhancements; Adopts Quarterly Reporting Language
Summary
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved $1,268,900 in dedicated funds for DOPL for FY2026 and accepted language requiring quarterly expense/revenue reports from 45 boards and commissions, and raising the corrective-action threshold for fund balances.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved $1,268,900 in dedicated funds for the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) for Fiscal Year 2026, and accepted language that aligns reporting requirements for the division’s boards and commissions and raises the corrective-action trigger for individual fund balances.
Kellen McGurkin, the committee’s budget analyst, said DOPL regulates more than 200,000 licensees across 45 boards and commissions and is funded entirely through dedicated fee revenue. The package approved by the committee included an ongoing pay increase request, one-time vehicle replacements and one-time IT hardware purchases, all to be paid from dedicated funds.
The funding breakdown approved in committee, as read by the motion, was: $222,000 in ongoing dedicated funds for inspector pay (an average increase described as about $0.95 per hour across 92 positions); $900,500 in one-time dedicated funds to replace vehicles in the agency fleet (including line-item amounts for specific vehicle models); and $146,400 in one-time dedicated funds for hardware recommended by the Office of Information Technology Services, including conference-room equipment and 76 standard laptops.
Representative Furness moved the funding package, and Senator Quick seconded the motion. The committee approved the motion on a roll-call vote; the chair announced a final tally of 16 ayes and 4 nays.
Separately, the committee considered proposed language to the appropriation bill that, according to the analyst, "aligns Stopwell's reporting requirements in its appropriation bill to Germaine policy bill 152." The change directs quarterly reporting of expenses and revenues for each of the 45 boards and commissions to the Legislative Services Office and the relevant board or commission. The language also raises the upper cap on individual board fund balances from 25% to 50% before a corrective action plan must be submitted, per a recommendation from the Legislative Audits Division.
Representative Furness requested unanimous consent to accept the language as shown on the screen; the request was granted with no objections, and the language will go forward with the motion and the bill recommendation.
